Ban encourages new Kyrgyz leadership to pursue dialogue and reconciliation

2 December 2011  Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on the new leadership in Kyrgyzstan to encourage national dialogue and reconciliation as the Central Asian country seeks greater stability in the wake of last year’s overthrow of the government and subsequent deadly ethnic clashes.

Almazbek Atambaev, the former prime minister, was yesterday inaugurated as the Kyrgyz President, and in a statement issued by his spokesperson last night Mr. Ban offered both his congratulations and the continued support of the United Nations to the people and country.

“He encourages the new leadership of the country to continue pursuing a policy of nAs President, Mr. Atambaev succeeds Roza Otunbaeva, whom Mr. Ban commended “for her important role over the last 18 months in promoting a stable and democratic Kyrgyzstan.”ational dialogue and reconciliation,” the statement noted.

As President, Mr. Atambaev succeeds Roza Otunbaeva, whom Mr. Ban commended “for her important role over the last 18 months in promoting a stable and democratic Kyrgyzstan.”

In April last year a popular protest movement over corruption and the cost of living led to the ousting of then president Kurmanbek Bakiyev, while in June riots in the country’s south between ethnic Kyrgyz and ethnic Uzbeks killed several hundred people and displaced hundreds of thousands of others.